Nuvole Bianche (White Clouds)
by jsalz
Summary: George had thought all the old wounds had healed. The shop was reopening and things were looking up. But she came back and George was happier when she was gone. She left him the first time and he wasn't sure if could survive if she did so again. GW/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

George unlocked the shop. It had been over three years since he stepped foot in the place. It had closed down since he lost Fred. Ron offered to help him out with the shop if he wanted to re-open it. George knew what that meant. He'd be giving up a promising career in Quidditch. Even though George constantly made fun of Ron growing up, Ron still wanted to help him out.

"It's what brothers do," he said shrugging like it wasn't a big deal.

It was a huge deal. He would never be the same person since Fred died. He'd grieved though, he wanted to move on. He wanted to make Fred proud of what he was still doing without him. That meant that he had to re-open the joke shop. With Ron's help they could probably do well. The first step was to clean. Neither of the brothers enjoyed that aspect. Ron was cleaning up the shop area and George had the back and flat above the shop. That was what he was dreading the most.

He looked out the side window into the alley that separated the joke shop from Callow's Music Shoppe. It had closed down since he died in the war. Thalia had disappeared after Fred's funeral. No one knew what happened to her. The only living relatives she had now, her brother Markus and Jamie, were living in Ireland with their wives. George was too mad at his once friend to find out where she disappeared to. They had met their first year. Thalia was struggling to push her trunk up on the holder, so he and Fred helped. With her dry sense of humor and three older brothers (the same number George and Fred had at school), they became fast friends. Eventually, Lee and Gracie were added to their little group. Gracie had died in the Battle of Hogwarts as well.

At this point, he didn't care where Thalia was. He was too angry with her to care. How could she leave everyone she knew? How could she leave when he had just lost Fred? She didn't even talk to him at Fred's funeral! At first he assumed that she moved to Ireland with her brothers. When his owl came back with a letter from Jamie that they didn't know where she was, he spent a good week looking for her, before he realized how angry he was that she left without a single goodbye. He deserved a goodbye, right? He lost his brother without one; he couldn't lose one of the only friends he had left without one.

He tore his eyes away from the building. He refused to go down that road. George was getting better. He was finally realizing that he still had a purpose in his life and he refused to let Thalia ruin it. Ron came up to let him know he was going home for the night. He and Hermione had a "special date."

"You going to propose yet?" He asked smirking.

"Don't give Hermione any ideas," Ron said. "I haven't asked her father, yet. Anyways, if anyone is getting married it is Ginny and Harry."

"I'm surprised mum hasn't forced them to tie the knot yet. Gits," he said making Ron chuckle.

"I heard that Lee and Oliver were hitting up a couple muggle pubs," Ron prodded.

"Are you trying to tell me something Ronnekins?"

"Yeah, go out tonight. Get drunk or don't. Snog someone. Just don't be by yourself tonight. It would do you more harm than good."

George wondered if his brother was always this perceptive. No, Hermione must be rubbing off on him. "I'll think about it."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Okay George, Later this week we are going out. Even if I have to hex you. Hermione taught me some great one recently."

"You're whipped."

"Proudly."

"Go Ron, I'll still be here," George said pushing his little brother out the door.

"Yeah you will be else mum would have your head."

George didn't respond because he heard something coming from Callow's shop. It sounded like someone was playing the piano. He knew no one had been in there in three years, but it didn't give anyone the right to go in and mess around. He told Ron that he'd see him tomorrow and when Ron had apparated away, he walked towards the music shop. He couldn't see anything through the dirty glass windows. He opened the door and found the lights on. To his immense surprise someone was sitting at the piano. Whoever she was had short black wavy hair.

"You shouldn't be in here, even if this place is abandoned," George said.

"Not anymore," answered a familiar voice. The person at the piano turned around and it turned out to be Thalia. George scowled.

"You're back," he said.

"I am," she replied.

"Where were you?"

She hesitated. "Traveling."

"For three years?"

"Yeah, so?" She asked picking up on the resentment in George's tone. She was still intimidating when she arched her eyebrow.

"So?" George asked. He laughed bitterly. "You left without saying goodbye!"

"I was going to come back! Why would I say goodbye if it wasn't?" She challenged.

"Because I deserved to know that someone else was leaving me!" He exclaimed loudly. Thalia's eye widened with shock.

"George," she seemed to want to say something, but stopped. "You're right, I should've told you. You'd just lost a lot of people you loved, but so did I. I needed to…get some air."

"For three years?" He challenged. Thalia scowled.

"Yeah, three years," she said firmly. "I went to Asia."

"Sounds exotic. Pick up any more terrible boyfriend's?" He taunted. She recoiled like he had slapped her. George was too angry to care.

"Get out," she hissed. "Right now."

"You're going to leave again."

She clenched her fist at her side and said almost too quietly for him to hear, "You aren't the only one who lost people George. Don't make me the bad guy. I didn't kill Fred."

"Well, you helped kill me," he said. He apparated away without a word.

He didn't see Thalia's tears or how she pulled out a picture of all of them. Fred, George, Lee, Gracie and Thalia had gone to a muggle carnival and had their picture taken. It was a muggle photo, so it didn't move. It just helped Thalia remember that just because two out of the five weren't there physically, they'd always be remembered. She hoped Lee would be less angry when she went to see him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

George was sitting in some muggle pub with Lee and Oliver. He hadn't really said anything. He was replaying the conversation he had with Thalia earlier over in his head. What would have happened if he wasn't so mean? Would she have realized how much she had hurt him? Would he be able to forgive her? When it all came down to it, he really missed her. Any hope of a normal friendship was gone with what he said.

"You used to wear that face when you fought with Thalia," Lee said taking a drink of his beer.

"Didn't know I had a specific face when I fought with Thalia," George replied.

"You always said things you regretted when you two fought. You had this kinda self-pity frown," He explained. "Wait…did you fight with Thalia?"

The fact he didn't answer was enough.

"She's back?" He asked excited. "That's great! Just in time for the memorial!"

"She left without a word for three years, though!" George said.

"George you didn't see her after the battle. She was a wreck. When you told me she was gone, you wouldn't listen when I told you she needed it. You know that battle was hard for her. She lost Gracie, her dad, her grandfather, Alex, Fred, and Daniel."

"Daniel is still alive," George said weakly.

"You know why she lost Daniel, you git," Oliver said not unkindly.

"Look, don't antagonize her. I know it's hard to believe, but you aren't the only one hurting," Lee said

"I know that," George said sourly. Lee rolled his eyes, but changed the subject. His friend was ridiculously stubborn. He'd figure it out eventually. Hopefully, he didn't ruin his relationship with Thalia first.

Each day when George came to the shop, he found Thalia cleaning out the music store. She completely restored it. The rustic feel of the shop was still there, as was the yellow and burgundy paint on the window that said, "CALLOW'S MUSIC SHOPPE." He wasn't sure what the inside looked like, because he refused to go inside. He didn't want to see or talk to Thalia, even if he missed her a lot. Ron had asked him about the music shop because he remembered Thalia from school. Hermione and Ginny knew her better than Ron did, but he remembered her.

"That was Thalia right?" He asked.

"Yeah," George replied shortly.

"I thought you said that she left?" Ron asked.

"She did and then she came back," he stated harshly.

"Shouldn't you be happy? You had a huge crush on her," Ron said.

They were stocking eternal bouncy balls. George accidentally dropped his handful of them and they started bouncing all over the store, knocking things down. Ron looked groaned. They spent the next half hour chasing the balls down trying to make sure they didn't break anything. When they were finished stocking them, George looked at Ron and asked,

"How did you know?"

"Know what?"

"That I liked Thalia?"

"Oh, Fred," Ron said laughing. "He's the one who told me. If I recall correctly, he said, 'He's a git. It's about time he realized he's in love with her.' He also said something about your seventh year and an almost date."

"Yeah, well that ship sailed when she decided to leave without a word to where she was going. I haven't heard from her in three years."

"That's harsh," Ron said. "I know the battle was hard, believe me I see it everywhere, but three years without a word."

"Pretty much," George replied. He didn't mention the fact that about a year and a half ago Thalia had sent him a photograph. It was the muggle one they had taken a few weeks before their seventh and final year of school. There was anything written anywhere, just the photo.

"I guess everyone dealt with it differently," Ron said shrugging. "Don't know what I'd do if Hermione picked up and left after the war."

"Probably not snog as much as you do now," George shot back smiling. Ron chuckled.

"We do not snog that m—" Ron tried to protest, but George cut him off.

"Yeah you do."

"She's good at it. What can I say?"

"That's gross," George commented.

Ron just laughed and carefully stacked the bouncing balls.

Thalia ripped the flyer off her door for the third time. She would hex the next person who reminded her about the stupid memorial for the Battle of Hogwarts. She wasn't even there, though it wasn't for lack of trying, why she would attend was beyond her. It wouldn't be to honor the victims it would be to further someone's political agenda. It was always like that. She unlocked the door and flipped on the lights. The end of term was near and that meant that she would soon re-open. She thought about visiting her grandfather to tell him, but she was still afraid to face him. George was right, three years was too long.

"Miss Buchanan?" A voice from the doorway asked.

Glancing up, she saw Percy Weasley. She desperately hoped he wasn't going to tear into her like George did. He wore neutral robes, but had a bright flyer in his hand. It was the same shade of violent magenta that had graced her door this morning. She fought off a scowl.

"Mr. Weasley, how can I help you?" She asked. His chest puffed up at her in the same pompous way she remembered.

"The ministry would like to ask you a favor," he started. "Do you have an office where we could discuss this privately?"

Technically, she did have an office. However, currently it doubled as storage for the instruments she had salvaged. She could barely fit herself inside the cramped room.

"The office is currently a storage room, but the shop won't be open for another three weeks, no one will disturb us," she told him.

"I suppose it will have to do," Percy sighed. Instinctually, Thalia arched an eyebrow and Percy visibly wavered.

"What would you like to discuss, Mr. Weasley?" Thalia asked.

"As you know, next week is the annual memorial of the Battle of Hogwarts. Unfortunately, due to a bad case of laryngitis, Celinia Warbeck isn't able to perform. The ministry was hoping you would do the honors of playing something," he explained. "All guidelines are outlined in this file. I need to know by the end of the business day whether you intend to perform."

He didn't wait for her to respond before he walked out. Thalia's stomach knotted uncomfortably. She knew exactly who was going to be there, and she didn't want them to think that she was being disrespectful. Even though her stomach was in shambles, she knew how thrilled her grandfather would be if she accepted. She knew without thinking what instrument she would use and what song she would play. She ran after Percy before she could talk herself out of what she was about to do.

"Mr. Weasley! Mr. Weasley! PERCY!" She shouted. He turned around mildly.

"Yes, Miss Buchanan?"

"I'll do it," she replied.

He nodded once. "The ministry will owl you with the details later today."

While walking back to her shop, she saw George in the window of his staring at her. He looked tired and sad. When they made eye contact he turned away from the window and magicked it shut. It seemed as though George still hadn't forgiven her. She understood where he was coming from, but he didn't know all of the details. He didn't know what the war had done to her. Losing all her loved on during the Battle of Hogwarts was just the tip of the iceberg, a very sad and painful iceberg. She ran back into her shop, pushing George out of her mind. This wasn't for him. It was for everyone who died in that battle.

The following Sunday while sitting around the dinner table at the Burrow, George looked at Percy and said in what he hoped was a neutral tone,

"What were you speaking with Thalia about?"

All of the Weasley, Harry and Hermione included, stopped and watched George. They knew Thalia was back and they knew that George had mixed feelings about it. Percy, being completely oblivious to it all replied in his normal mild, yet arrogant manner,

"The ministry asked her to perform at this year's memorial. When Celinia Warbeck fell through, Headmistress McGonagall suggested Thalia. Minister Shackelbolt agreed."

"Did Thalia?"

"Yes, she did."

"All right then," George replied. His grip on the fork was tighter than before and he hardly ate anymore dinner, but he said nothing further. They couldn't decide if this was good or bad. They had just gotten him back, they didn't want to lose him again. Molly knew what she needed to do.

The following afternoon, Molly flooed into Diagon Alley. She walked along chatting to people every so often. She waved to Olivander who only stared back. Eventually, she walked to Callow's store and walked inside.

"I'm terribly sorry, but we don't open for another week—oh, Mrs. Weasley," Thalia said looking up from her large piece of parchment. There were three stacks of boxes that reached up to the three story ceiling beside her. "I just got the shipment of new instruments in a moment ago. I haven't had the time to set them up."

"Do you have a moment to speak with me?"

"Of course," Thalia said. "Would you like some tea?"

"That would be lovely, dear," replied Molly.

Thalia snapped her fingers and two chairs appeared in front of the long counter she was behind. With another snap a tray of tea flew towards them, the sugar and milk automatically poured itself. Thalia gestured for Molly to sit and brought her the tea. Molly thanked her and got right to the point.

"I want to talk about George," she started. Thalia nodded as though she had been expecting it, she _had_ been expecting it. "Why is he so angry with you?"

"I left without saying goodbye, apparently like Fred," Thalia stated. She worked hard to keep the sadness out of her voice.

"Are you upset with him?"

"No, but I hurt him. I was someone whom he could safely blame for all his terrible feelings. If that's what helps him then I'll keep my distance."

"I'm afraid he's dwelling on it," she replied.

"There were…circumstances that I needed to heal from after the war. After Fred's funeral, I had to leave. I was Atlas and the world was crushing me," Thalia told the woman quietly. "I couldn't stay, so I left. At first I went to America and visited the muggle and wizard stores we had there. After that, I went to Asia. I met some people who taught me a lot of things that I tried to apply to my life. It helped. I didn't even think what my absence would do to those left behind."

Molly reached over and gripped Thalia's hand. "I understand, dear. I'm looking forward to hearing you play. Do you have a song in mind?"

"A friend of my mother's wrote something that my grandfather loved deeply. It was the last thing he played on the grand piano here," Thalia responded. She flicked her wand at the grand piano in the corner and it began to play a slow, mournful tune. After its end, Molly wiped her eyes.

"That's beautiful," she said.

"It is."

The memorial was today. Thalia wiped at the imaginary crumbs on her grey dress and tried to listen as the Minister of Magic spoke. Her nerves kept her mind wandering. She hadn't played piano for such a long time, a week to practice wasn't good enough. Her stomach was churning and her heart was racing. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her heartbeat. The last time she was this nervous about a performance was back when she was in school.

 _She was regretting staying at Hogwarts this year, due completely to Jamie and Markus. They found out she knew Christmas songs and they volunteered her "services" for Christmas dinner. Dumbledore was more than pleased to have someone play after dinner had ended. He thought there could never be too much jolly and cheer spread around. Thalia nervously sat down at the grand piano Dumbledore had transfigured out of a table. She gently tested the tuning before she started._

 _"We haven't got all day!" Markus shouted smirking. He didn't see the bowl of pudding Thalia had levitated towards his head until it was dripping down his back. She smirked at him._

 _Although she was nervous, her fingers hit every piano key perfectly to every song she played, from "Away in the Hippogriff Stable," to "Rest Ye Merry Wizards." At the end of the nerve-wracking, impromptu concert she was given a standing ovation. Thalia was positive her face was the color of George's hair, who was practically beaming at her._

That had been in her third year, right after her mother had died. It seemed like an eternity ago. She remembered that George was surprised that she could play so well. He has assumed she was a beginner when she said she played the piano. Thalia was mediocre at school. She got E's on her O.W.L.s and mostly E's on her N.E.W.T.S, but her real passion was music. By the time she started Hogwarts, she could played the majority of the string instruments, her favorite being the cello. The piano was always her primary instrument. That was why there was a giant grand piano sitting behind the Minister's podium.

"Now, I would like to introduce Thalia Buchanan. She lost her grandfather, father, and eldest brother in the battle. She wishes to honor them and all other lost lives with the song, 'Nuvole Bianche.'"

She walked up the side steps and ignored the curious gazes of everyone. Her grandfather had been very charismatic. Everyone loved him, and she found out from Markus that many people wrote them and asked why the shop wasn't open anymore. She swallowed her fear and imagined that this was only for her family and they were the only ones watching.

She gently pressed her fingers on the white keys in a simple chord. She followed with another and then another until only one hand was doing simple chord, while the other was doing a quiet melody. She slowly built up the melody until the new progression. She emptied out her sadness into the somber song. All of the pent up anger and frustration about not being able to get to the battle to save them poured out over the keys translating into the saddest version of the song she has ever played.

Halfway through the song, she dared to glance away from her fingers and up at the crowd. She saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the front row along with the rest of the Weasley. George wasn't looking at her, but at the ground. She thought she saw him crying, but she brushed it off thinking it was a trick of the light. There were others mingled throughout the crowd who were emotional. As the peak of the song struck, Thalia remembered the last thing her grandfather said to her,

"Courage like a lion, my dear."

He said it to her right before she went off on an assignment for the Order. She had failed in that aspect. She had never had courage through her ordeal. If anything that broke her heart, realizing that she had failed her grandfather's last request. Her fingers slowly stilled until the final note rang across the crowd. She stood up stiffly and bowed to sad applause. In her eagerness to exit the stage, she nearly sprinted off it. She apparated home and curled up in her bed, not bothering to undress. She cried herself to sleep that night, for her family, for Gracie, and for George and their non-existent friendship.

She missed him.

George felt only sadness when Thalia walked onto the stage. He assumed she would play Mozart or Beethoven, maybe Bach—she really loved Bach. Instead he was met with a depressing song that was still hesitantly optimistic. He knew that Fred would have been impressed with her talent. He always was when they were younger. She seemed to have improved while she was gone. He was no longer angry at her just hurt.

There were so many occasions when he knew she would have had the right words to say. He could almost hear her spouting off wisdom she heard from her grandfather. He knew that if she had just played something on her cello or piano he would have felt better. If she had stayed, he could've gotten over Fred, had closure even. But as he sat with the rest of his family, he realized he still wasn't over Fred. Fred was his second half. They had gone through everything together. And as she played the somber tune on the piano, George allowed himself to cry.

He missed Fred.

He missed Thalia.


End file.
